With advancing technologies, healthcare practices are evolving and improving all the time. When the goal is to keep up with these constantly changing practices, nursing programs are regularly reviewing the latest research to ensure that they are up to date when it comes to clinical experiences. In addition, nursing shortages, which in turn cause nurse educator and clinical site shortages, force simulation and other practical experiences to become more prevalent. One type of simulation that is small but still growing is virtual reality (Aebersold, 2018). With the addition of virtual reality simulations in nursing programs, students can feel more prepared for not only their clinical experiences, but also for the high-fidelity simulation experiences. Virtual reality can also help to boost nursing students’ confidence, improve communication, and optimize learning skills. After analyzing the literature, it was deduced that virtual reality simulations have a positive impact on nursing students’ education

Forck, Lauren

English

Fort Hays State University

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days Volume 2023 Article 68 4-17-2023 The Impact of Virtual Reality Simulation within Nursing Programs Lauren Forck Fort Hays State University, leforck@mail.fhsu.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.fhsu.edu/sacad Recommended Citation Forck, Lauren (2023) "The Impact of Virtual Reality Simulation within Nursing Programs," SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days: Vol. 2023, Article 68. DOI: 10.58809/DLNO3588 Available at: https://scholars.fhsu.edu/sacad/vol2023/iss2023/68 This Submission is brought to you for free and open access by FHSU Scholars Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days by an authorized editor of FHSU Scholars Repository. For more information, please contact ScholarsRepository@fhsu.edu. The Impact of Virtual Reality Simulation within Nursing ProgramsLauren Forck, RN, BSNFort Hays State University – Department of NursingAebersold, M. (2018). Simulation-based learning: No longer a novelty in undergraduate education. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(2). https://doi.org/10.3912/ojin.vol23no02ppt39Chang, Y. K., & Lai, C. W. (2021). Exploring the experiences of nursing students in using immersive virtual reality to learn nursing skills. Nurse Education Today, 97, 104670. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104670Chen, F., Leng, Y., Ge, J., Wang, D., Li, C., Chen, B., & Sun, Z. (2020). Effectiveness of virtual reality in nursing education: Meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(9), e18290. https://doi.org/10.2196/18290Goldsworthy, S., Muir, N., Baron, S., Button, D., Goodhand, K., Hunter, S., McNeill, L., Perez, G., McParland, T., Fasken, L., & Peachey, L. (2022). The impact of virtual simulation on the recognition and response to the rapidly deteriorating patient among undergraduate nursing students. Nurse Education Today, 110, 105264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105264Institute for Experiential Learning. (2021, October 22). What is experiential learning? Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://experientiallearninginstitute.org/resources/what-is-experiential-learning/Liaw, S. Y., Wu, L., Soh, S. L., Ringsted, C., Lau, T. C., & Lim, W. S. (2020). Virtual reality simulation in interprofessional round training for health care students: A qualitative evaluation study. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 45, 42–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2020.03.013Park, S., Hur, H. K., & Chung, C. W. (2022). Learning effects of virtual versus high-fidelity simulations in nursing students: a crossover comparison. BMC Nursing, 21, 100. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-00878-2Sapkaroski, D., Mundy, M., & Dimmock, M. R. (2022). Immersive virtual reality simulated learning environment versus role‐play for empathic clinical communication training. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 69(1), 56–65. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmrs.555ReferencesAs related to the proposed research question, virtual reality simulations were overall beneficial in the areas of knowledge, confidence, communication, and skills. However, students did not rank it superior to high-fidelity simulations and clinical experiences in the community. The most common finding was that virtual reality simulations are valuable when used in congruence with other types of clinical experiences, specifically before other experiences. Anticipated findings: Descriptive statistics would be used to analyze the data collected in the research study. It is predicted that the findings will align with those found in published literature. FindingsCurrently, the literature does not recommend abandoning old clinical experience practices, but instead recommends adding to it. With the addition of virtual reality prior to high-fidelity simulation and clinical experiences within a nursing program, nursing students can feel more knowledgeable, confident, and skilled before entering a bedside setting. Recommendations for Future Research: • Devising more comprehensive studies about virtual reality simulations being incorporated into nursing programs. • Exploring ways in which virtual reality simulations can be incorporated into nursing education.ConclusionWith advancing technologies, healthcare practices are evolving and improving all the time. When the goal is to keep up with these constantly changing practices, nursing programs are regularly reviewing the latest research to ensure that they are up to date when it comes to clinical experiences. In addition, nursing shortages, which in turn cause nurse educator and clinical site shortages, force simulation and other practical experiences to become more prevalent. One type of simulation that is small but still growing is virtual reality (Aebersold, 2018). With the addition of virtual reality simulations in nursing programs, students can feel more prepared for not only their clinical experiences, but also for the high-fidelity simulation experiences. Virtual reality can also help to boost nursing students’ confidence, improve communication, and optimize learning skills. After analyzing the literature, it was deduced that virtual reality simulations have a positive impact on nursing students’ education. Keywords: virtual reality (VR), simulation, nursing students, educationAbstractSimulation has been around for hundreds of years, but over time, the products have become more realistic and necessary. The newest type of simulation, known as virtual reality, really emerged within the last few years and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Virtual reality (VR) is the use of computer technology to create an interactive three-dimensional (3D) world in which users have a sense of spatial presence” (Chen et al., 2020, Introduction section, para. 4). With this type of learning program becoming more affordable, it is important for educators to research the advantages of including it in nursing education. Study Purpose: To examine the advantages of virtual reality simulations, as a type of clinical experience for students, within nursing programs. BackgroundResearch Question:Does virtual reality simulation positively impact students’ clinical experiences within a nursing program?Hypothesis: Virtual reality simulation positively impacts nursing students’ knowledge, confidence, communication, and skills. Role of the Researcher: To determine the impact virtual reality simulations have on nursing students’ clinical experiences and to communicate the assembled information with nursing programs. Design and Proposed Implementation: Similar to the studies done in the reviewed literature and by following the experiential learning cycle, one group will be tested using a quasi-experimental design. Students will first experience simulation and clinicals without virtual reality, then be given the opportunity to practice with virtual reality simulations prior to their remaining clinical experiences. A qualitative analysis would then be done by using the data collected at the end of the semester in the form of a survey. This study could be repeated with other cohorts. Strategies for Minimizing Bias and Error: • Reviewed an array of articles including, but not limited to, qualitative, meta-analysis, split-cohort, descriptive, mixed method, and quasi-experimental research. • Checked for alternative explanations.• Verified with several sources (i.e., additional research articles).• Eventually evaluating the proposed hypothesis and  research study.Ethical Considerations: • Confirmed that informed consent was obtained, and no harm was done to the participants within the literature used for this study. • Credit given to all researchers whose literature was used in this study. • IRB approval would be obtained prior to initiation of the research study. Anticipated Limitations of Future Research: • Limited number of studies done about virtual reality simulation and the overall impact on nursing students’ education. • The high cost of acquiring virtual reality technology for future studies. MethodologyIn a study comparing the use of virtual reality versus role-play mode, Sapkaroski et al. (2022) found that empathetic language was significantly improved when virtual reality was used. One reason for this improvement included an experience without the judgment of peers. Although it was shown that virtual reality was not able simulate expression or emotions, students were able to improve their understanding of skills while also allowing for unlimited usage and protection of patient safety (Chang & Lai, 2021).In a study to maximize learning effects from virtual reality and high-fidelity simulations in nursing students, Park et al. (2022) found that the students who performed the virtual reality first and then high-fidelity simulation showed higher reflective thinking and self-confidence. Since certain experiences are not guaranteed during clinical hours, a study was done to investigate whether virtual reality simulation would help nursing students detect and react to a deteriorating patient. Goldsworthy et al. (2022) determined that virtual simulation is an effective strategy in improving knowledge and confidence. While involving students from different health care professions, it was found that virtual reality simulations can be helpful in practicing communication, exchanging ideas, and working together in an interprofessional rounding scenario (Liaw et al., 2020). A meta-analysis was done to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality simulations in the areas of knowledge, skills, satisfaction, confidence, and performance time. Overall, there was no difference in any of the categories except knowledge which was improved after using virtual reality when compared to other education methods (Chen et al., 2020). Review of LiteratureThe experiential learning cycle is a four-step theory that happens with every interaction or experience (Institute for Experiential Learning, 2021). The steps are shown in Figure 2, beginning with experiencing. When looking at the literature reviewed, one can see that nursing students experienced virtual reality simulations and reflected on that experience. They were then given the opportunity to abstractly think about the knowledge they gained, and the impact virtual reality has on their nursing education. With that data, nursing programs can choose to act on the information collected and implement virtual reality simulations into theirprogram. This will also allow for nursing students to apply the fourth step, act, by using the knowledge they learned from the virtual reality simulation in future clinicals or practice. Theoretical FrameworkTable 1Forest plot of virtual reality on knowledge(Chen et al., 2020)(Park et al., 2022)Figure 1Research designFigure 2The Experiential Learning Cycle(Institute for Experiential Learning, 2021)

The Impact of Virtual Reality Simulation within Nursing Programs

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The Impact of Virtual Reality Simulation within Nursing Programs

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